The Toyota Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Enclave doesn’t offer knee airbags.
With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Buick Enclave, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
|
Highlander |
Enclave |
| Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
| 12 MPH |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
| 25 MPH |
-22 MPH |
-20 MPH |
|
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
| 12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
| 12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
| 25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-17 MPH |
| 25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-22 MPH |
|
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
| 25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-22 MPH |
| 25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-16 MPH |
| 37 MPH Brights |
-25 MPH |
-16 MPH |
| Warning Issued-Brights |
2 sec |
1.9 sec |
| 37 MPH Low beams |
-25 MPH |
-16 MPH |
| Warning Issued-Low beams |
2 sec |
1.4 sec |
The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Enclave doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.
To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Highlander. But it costs extra on the Enclave.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Highlander’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Enclave doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.
Both the Highlander and the Enclave have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Buick Enclave:
|
|
Highlander |
Enclave |
|
|
Passenger |
|
| STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
| Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
| Neck Injury Risk |
28.4% |
35.9% |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Buick Enclave:
|
|
Highlander |
Enclave |
|
|
Front Seat |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| HIC |
55 |
64 |
| Chest Movement |
.3 inches |
.6 inches |
| Hip Force |
300 lbs. |
372 lbs. |
|
|
Rear Seat |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| Spine Acceleration |
37 G’s |
48 G’s |
| Hip Force |
152 lbs. |
518 lbs. |
|
|
Into Pole |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| Spine Acceleration |
41 G’s |
48 G’s |
| Hip Force |
664 lbs. |
721 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.